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Fever Dream: A Novel
Unavailable
Fever Dream: A Novel
Unavailable
Fever Dream: A Novel
Audiobook3 hours

Fever Dream: A Novel

Written by Samanta Schweblin

Narrated by Hillary Huber

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

()

Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

Experience the blazing, surreal sensation of a fever dream...

A young woman named Amanda lies dying in a rural hospital clinic. A boy named David sits beside her. She's not his mother. He's not her child. Together, they tell a haunting story of broken souls, toxins, and the power and desperation of family.

Fever Dream is a nightmare come to life, a ghost story for the real world, a love story and a cautionary tale. One of the freshest new voices to come out of the Spanish language and translated into English for the first time, Samanta Schweblin creates an aura of strange psychological menace and otherworldly reality in this absorbing, unsettling, taut novel.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateJan 10, 2017
ISBN9781524754877
Unavailable
Fever Dream: A Novel
Author

Samanta Schweblin

Samanta Schweblin is the author of three story collections and two novels, which have won numerous awards, including the prestigious Juan Rulfo Story Prize, and been translated into twenty languages. Her debut novel Fever Dream was shortlisted for the Man Booker International Prize 2017, and her short-story collection Seven Empty Houses won the National Book Award for Translated Literature 2022. Originally from Buenos Aires, she lives in Berlin.

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Reviews for Fever Dream

Rating: 3.715516120689655 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

232 ratings33 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Oh this was so creepy and good!

    There was so much packed into such a short narrative but it's also incredibly effective in its density, its breakneck pace, its ambiguity. There's a lot here to parse: the horror of environmental degradation written across the bodies of children; poisoning, fevers, and the trauma of illness breaking the "soul" from the wetwork of human bodies; the immensity of parental love in all its wonder and terror; the sense that no matter what you do, the worst will always happen and we are powerless to stop it.

    I read this all in one sitting and I'm glad I did. It was a perfect length to sustain the ethereal feverish mood of the story. This was a great fusion between magical realist conventions and ecohorror, a beautiful terrifying book from an author who I will definitely return to!
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Yeah, no. First of all, it was too confusing. It took me forever to figure out the dual narrators so I ended up having to go back and re-read about a quarter of the book once I did. But I could have forgiven that confusion given the terrific creepy af atmosphere. But ultimately the payoff just wasn't worth it. It didn't end so much as it just faded away.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Well... that was very weird.Sparsely written, but the tension begins building from the start of this little book, and doesn’t let up. It really does read like a fever dream feels... all mixed up and confusing, and you know something terrible is coming and there’s no way to avoid it. Themes of pollution, poison, and maternal love, and the worry and terror over not being able to protect a child completely. Very dark and trippy.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A hypnotic, lyrically specific ecological literary/horror story. Reads like a modern day Edgar Allan Poe story.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    My favorite book of the year, so far:I grabbed this book off the shelf on my way out the door because it was the smallest book available and would be the least heavy to carry around on a day that I would be carrying a lot of bags. I started reading it while waiting for my train. The train was a half hour late so I managed to get a good bit of reading done.This book grabs you on the first page and fills you with a sense of urgency -- something terrible is happening; what is it? who are these people? After returning home from my errands I sat down and finished the book. This is a strange and creepy book. The writing is brilliant. I wish I knew someone who reads this type of fiction because I really want to push this book on others.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Just won the Tournament of Books. Originally I wasn't going to read this but the initial judge who advanced this book convinced me it was worth a read. Like a lot of people I read it in one day. It's a compelling book, rather eerie and one can interpret it in many ways. Dark but good.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Extremely weird and unsettling. A scary reality depending on how you interpret the story.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A short and odd little translation that constantly feels like a fever dream from the title. The tension begins on page one and never lets up. Somehow short translated novels end up being the oddest books that I read. I don't mind that this was so short and wasn't concrete with answers but I think it might have been a little too vague for me. Some of these great images will stick with me though. I read this as it was the summer winner of The Morning News Tournament of Books.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    "Fever Dream" is an apt title for this story. Frankly, it was an unpleasant experience to listen to this. The rambling went on so long that I stopped caring about figuring what the heck was going on.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    "Fever Dream" is the first novel and the first English translation of Argentinean author Samanta Schweblin who has also published several Spanish language short-story collections.Fever Dream's original 2014 Spanish title was "Distancia de rescate" (literal title translation: The Distance of Rescue/The Rescue Distance) which is a recurring theme of the book that is first introduced on pg. 19: "I'm calculating how long it would take me to jump out of the car and reach Nina if she suddenly ran and leapt into the pool. I call it the "rescue distance": that's what I've named the variable distance separating me from my daughter, and I spend half the day calculating it..." The new English title is better as an overall description of the book and the process of reading it.The set-up of the book is that a mother named Amanda is being questioned by a boy named David. David's speech is in italic font to distinguish it from Amanda's. Theirs are the only voices we hear, but Amanda reports on events from several days to several years previous and quotes dialogue from others including that of David's mother Carla and Amanda's own daughter Nina. I am over-explaining this here because I found that I got disoriented after 20 or 30 pages into the book and had to restart in order to get a firmer grip on what was going on. I'm not going to explain further because that would get into spoiler territory but I read "Fever Dream" with a mounting sense of unease and dread and even though the reader is mostly left to draw their own conclusions as to the causes and circumstances of Amanda's and David's situation it is unlikely that anyone will not have a clear opinion although those may range from the supernatural to those grounded in reality.The year is early yet but I think "Fever Dream" is a strong candidate for my most compelling and compulsive read of 2017. It is actually quite short as well and its 183 page length is deceptive, as each page has only about 150 words or less on it (I think average books are about 300 words a page) so you can probably read it in about 3 hours/one sitting.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    "Fresh and startling, this is like nothing you've ever read before."Bold words indeed. And yet, this might possibly be the quickest I've ever read a novella -- in little more than 90 minutes. I literally could not put it down; the way the story starts off, its breakneck pace, the words, the questions, the curiosity... dang near perfection! Here's page one: They're like worms.What kind of worms?Like worms, all over.It's the boy who's talking, murmuring into my ear.I am the one asking questions.Worms in the body?Yes, in the body.Earthworms?No, another kind of worms.It's dark and I can't see. The sheets are rough, they bunch up under my body. I can't move, but I'm talking.If you're open to the creepy, to the surreal, to the unconventional narrative structure, I dare you to pick this up and NOT devour it in one sitting.The depths of maternal love and the lengths to which she'll go to save her child wrapped up in an ecological horror story set in Argentina. When I say "horror," I mean in the (now seemingly) old-fashioned sense of the word: meticulous storytelling that conjures fear through a blend of reality and fantasy, an almost instant state of anxiety, dread, and suspicion.4.5 stars"I always imagine the worst-case scenario. Right now, for instance, I'm calculating how long it would take me to jump out of the car and reach Nina if she suddenly ran and leapt into the pool. I call it the "rescue distance": that's what I've named the variable distance separating me from my daughter, and I spend half the day calculating it, though I always risk more than I should."
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This little gem of a book lassoed me at page 1! It is a tale told through a conversation between David and Amanda. It is dreamlike and surreal and so many questions begin to float through your mind, so you keep reading and reading and reading. From the start, we know that Amanda seems to be paralyzed and it is apparent that David has been through what Amanda is experiencing and it is frightening. Other characters they reference include Amanda's daughter, Nina and David's mother Carla and , oh yes, a mysterious lady in the green house. I could not put this book down yet the conclusion was a bit nebulous and rather undefined. But, don't let that hold you back, there's too much to this book that works.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    The title pretty much sums up this short little story. A fever dream is pretty much what reading this felt like. Confusing, dreamy and spooky.
    Wasn't my cup of tea because of that.
    Schwebin is a good writer though and I will check out whatever she does next.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    So I really enjoyed this weird little book, and not just because it as a super fast read. The interview format is interesting. But the ending...or the stopping might be a better way to put it. I have SO MANY questions. In many ways it feels like this book is not quite done, because really I cannot rate the book any higher without some resolution to these questions.--is this just a fever dream? Malarial or otherwise?--is the entire town/area being poisoned?--industrial, farm, or personal poison (are people being poisoned by C?)--do A and N die? Does C? Is that why A's husband goes to see C's husband and son, and C is not there?--ARGH
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    This rating is for the audiobook version. Despite being well read, I don't think the way this story is told works that well for an audiobook. The narrative gets a bit confusing at time, despite the narrator trying to vary the voices. Frankly, having different actors would have worked better--or perhaps all the voices are actually in one head, so one narrator makes sense. I think seeing the words on the page would have made it a bit clearer. In the end, the story I was able to grasp just didn't resonate with me. The basic idea is sound enough, but in the end it isn't quite clear what effect the author was trying to achieve. While I understand the import of the end of the story, it just isn't that surprising or interesting. After reading more about what the story is supposed to be about, I still can't rate it any higher, at least for an American reader.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This novel is translated from the Spanish. It's only about 24,000 words. It seems like an anxiety dream, and although the underlying fear is palpable and various plot possibilities are clear, ultimately we cannot be sure of hardly anything. It was both very difficult to put this down and horrifying to continue reading it.
  • Rating: 1 out of 5 stars
    1/5
    This is one of the worst books I have ever read. The prose is confusing, interspersing an elderly woman’s dream sequence with a present conversation between her and her grandson. The woman is in the hospital and on her death bed, while her grandson, who is at her bedside, urges her to finish a story of when he was much younger.The characters are not developed at all. I never felt like I knew them nor was I able to relate to them. The book is neither a thriller nor horror, as it is touted to be. I do not understand the huge amount of hype surrounding the book.The book is merely an attempt by the author to deliver a political statement regarding the use of pesticides in her home country. I do not read books for an author to preach to me or deliver a political statement. Just give me a good story. Unfortunately, this book fails to produce a satisfying story.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I read this weird and gripping novella in one sitting. From the beginning -- when I couldn't figure out what in the world was happening, to the end -- when the constant dread in the pit of my stomach grew to a crescendo, I was absolutely riveted.The book starts with Amanda and David talking. We know that Amanda is an adult and David is a child, but we don't know where they are or what strange circumstances they are in. Gradually, as the book progresses and we learn more about both the present situation and what got them to where they are, we know that something bad is going to happen. Author Samanta Schweblin does a remarkable job of creating that feeling of dread in the reader and never letting it go away. I was not able to relax for even one moment through the entire book; I kept dreading what was coming, at the same time that I was anticipating it.I can't even categorize the genre of this book, but it needs no categorization to leave the reader entertained and spooked at the same time.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This books is disconcerting. Starting it was a bit confusing. What is real and what is the fever dream is not easy to discern. It feels hallucinatory. Amanda is one of the narrators the other is a boy named David. The two are not related to each other but with this framing, the author tells the story. David asks a question, urging Amanda to respond because "she doesn't have much time. Amanda is in a bed, dying, David sits by her side. The book starts with "there like worms" and that begins the "creepy feeling of dread that continues through the story. There seems to be an ecological point to the story.Book, 2017, part of ToB 2018. Written in Spanish, translated by Megan McDowell
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Such a spooky little story, and creatively told. A dying woman carries on a dialogue with a boy sifting through the recent past, trying to figure out the moment of pivotal moments in time. She tells him of conversations she had with his mother about eerie events, both with him and with her own daughter. The elusiveness of truth and the horror of possible harm to children create a spellbinding narrative, with ecological overtones. It’s creative, well-written, and worth checking out.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    While lying in a rural clinic dying, Amanda has a long conversation with a young boy David who is sitting with her seeking answers to certain questions he has. Amanda is seeking answers to as to where her daughter is. David is the son of Amanda's neighbor Carla, and is a few years older than Amandas daughter.The book is surreal, and really did have the feel of a dream story, or at least the narrative conveyed the thoughts of a person thrashing with a fever, not entirely logical or rational, but seeming so as they are being experienced. Unlike many surreal works, which I usually don't like, I found this very easy to read (if not necessarily to understand) and the characters and their situations were very relatable. One thing that really spoke to me was the "rescue distance," which is the distance a mother feels she can let her young child roam--the furthest safe distance for the child. I foundnd this to be a very original, yet highly readable novella.4 stars
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    What an apt title for this book. When you open the book you are dropped right into the story with no preamble and you are swept through this claustrophobic, puzzling, creepy experience until the end where you are pulled abruptly out of the story with your eyes glazed over, having no idea what happened. And it is marvelous! It definitely needs to be re-read, probably more than once. I highly recommend reading this slim little novel in one sitting. Putting it down will break the spell.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A short read that doesn't hold your hand and not afraid to make you feel uncomfortable.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A really strange read but still tapping at the edges of my mind a day after I've finished it so....

    I'll do a re-read (it's short...only around 180 pages, with smaller formatting) and see if I can make sense of that ending???
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I read this without any real idea of what I was reading or why I was reading it. I got to the end and had no real idea of what I had just read. What I can tell you is that I could not stop reading it and while I was reading it those ideas about did not seem relevant.

    The title is apt as it read like a half remembered dream that was itself the memory of another dream. It happened somewhere between the waking self and the remembered self, somewhere in that twilight of consciousness between wake and sleep.

    I still cannot remember what it was about but it stays with me like a series of faded colour tableaux from an old tv in a holiday cabin somewhere in the past.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    It really does read like a fever dream. The story is told from a very unconventional perspective, but it starts making sense once the central conceit is revealed. And what a revelation it is.

    It's a quick read and a riveting story. Saying more will only spoil it for you, so I won't say anymore. Go enjoy it right now.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This weird and creepy horror novella set in a resort town in Argentina.  It's narrated in a conversation between Amanda, the novel's protagonist who slowly uncovers dark secrets from a boy named David. The book doubles as an environmental fable as the children of the town, starting with David, are poisoned by a toxin that spreads through the community, including Amanda and her daughter Nina.  The sparse novel serves as an attempt to unravel the source of the problem.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Hmm...I never felt the tension or suspense others felt. I was actually kind of bored with it and just wanted to hurry and get to the end. The two stars are for the creative structure.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Creepy story of a young woman, Amanda, and her daughter, Nina, who are vacationing. They meet Carla, and her son, David. Amanda is telling her story to David, while she is in a delirious state. Sad story about environmental poisoning and a parent's love. Super quick read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    An interesting book. Amanda is telling her story to David. Is David a boy, a ghost a product of her imagination? It is not clear what is real.